Hamster Kombat - behind the scenes of the tap-to-earn game
The eagerly anticipated token launch for Hamster Kombat, a popular tap-to-earn game on Telegram, is scheduled for September 26. In preparation, the development team has released important information regarding the impending airdrop.
Upon launch, players can access 88.75% of their earned HMSTR tokens. However, the remaining 11.25% will be locked until July 2025.
Hamster Kombat has a huge player base of about 300 million, but not everyone will get tokens in the upcoming airdrop. Only 129 million players are set to receive them. At first, 131 million users qualified, but the number dropped after the developers caught some cheaters. They found about 2.3 million players breaking the rules and kicked them out. This means less than 50% of all Hamster Kombat players will benefit from the airdrop despite the game's massive popularity.
This not-announced earlier vesting schedule has taken many participants by surprise. The lack of prior communication about this extended unlocking period and the banning of many users have has sparked discontent among the game's community.
Source: https://x.com/hamster_kombat/status/1837949250669322416/photo/1
Miscommunication is another detail that led to the rage outburst. Many Hamster Kombat players were previously led to believe that collecting in-game keys was not essential for airdrop eligibility.
Source: https://x.com/hamster_kombat/status/1817900767015010316
However, as the airdrop approached, it became clear that the key collection was crucial for receiving rewards. This last-minute change resulted in the disqualification of a significant number of players.
Many in the community see these changes as a betrayal, especially those who have dedicated months to building up their Point Per Hour (PPH) – a metric emphasized by the game developers as key to airdrop eligibility. Players feel that their efforts have been wasted with the addition of key collection as a deciding factor.
Media influencers have reported that even players who accumulated a modest number of keys, often just 100 to 200, were ultimately disqualified. On the other hand, those exploiting the system with key generators and multiple accounts remain eligible.
Source: https://x.com/Cryptowithkhan/status/1837420744604602429
This has led to a widespread sense of injustice in the community, with many players being unfairly branded as cheaters despite their honest efforts.
To understand the situation better, let’s have a closer look at how it all was developing and check whether there were some red flags.
Hamster Kombat: An easy way to earn?
Hamster Kombat, a blockchain-based game, has experienced remarkable growth since its launch in March 2024. Within just 73 days, the game had amassed over 100 million active users. Soon after that, the community surged to 3 million users.
And indeed, to access the game, one needed just to download the Telegram app, and find the game. Earning seemed to be easy and straightforward:
- Tap a digital hamster to generate coins
- Use the coins to upgrade your virtual cryptocurrency exchange by acquiring licenses, hiring talent, improving marketing activities, etc.
- Participate in mini-games, combos, and other activities to earn rewards
- Play the Key minigame to collect keys - a new minigame was added recently and devastatingly impacted approx. 63% of the players.
Even though it looks like an easy way to earn, it appears to be the contrary.
Red flags
However, were there any signs that the airdrop may not have gone as expected? Actually, some red flags were to be noted.
Anonymous team
It is not uncommon for a crypto project to have an anonymous team. However, this is something to be aware of.
Signs of a Ponzi scheme
The game's reward system appears unsustainable, heavily relying on the continuous influx of new users to maintain the flow of token payouts. This dynamic echoes Ponzi-like structures, which have been observed in various projects previously.
Unsustainable tokenomics
If the issues surrounding Hamster Kombat's tokenomics are not addressed, there is a risk of hyperinflation of the in-game tokens. Specifically, the lack of an effective token-burning mechanism coupled with an unlimited token supply could lead to a concerning scenario of runaway inflation.
With measures to control the token supply and the introduction of meaningful token burning, the in-game economy may become more stable and preserve the value of the tokens held by players. This could undermine the core play-to-earn premise of the game, as the tokens would gradually lose their purchasing power and real-world value.
Will Season 2 be the end of Hamster Kombat?
In the wake of the backlash over players' disqualification from the airdrop, the Hamster Kombat community is urging the developers to implement a re-evaluation process. Players believe that a transparent appeals system should be introduced that would allow disqualified users to make their case and potentially regain eligibility.
As the game approaches Season 2, there are growing concerns that this controversy could mark the beginning of Hamster Kombat's decline. Players, especially the top 1% who dedicate 3-4 hours daily to completing tasks, claim that if they don't receive fair rewards in the range of $100 to $200, they may abandon the game altogether. These players are not just average users – they are influential YouTubers and TikTokers whose promotion has been crucial to the game's popularity.
With players expressing widespread dissatisfaction, the Hamster Kombat team must step forward and address the community's concerns. They must provide clear explanations about the token launch and work to restore trust among the game's dedicated player base.